The newly appointed Foreign Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, Ioannis Kasoulides, met with his Greek counterpart, Nikos Dendias, on Wednesday in Athens.

In statements after the meeting, Kasoulides said he and Dendias had the opportunity to exchange views on a wide range of issues, including bilateral relations, the Cyprus issue, addressing Turkish challenges, and the deepening of multilateral cooperation formations.

With regards to bilateral relations between Cyprus and Greece, Kasoulides said they were clear and unambiguous.

“Cyprus and Greece maintain an automatic coordination and consultation mechanism. Both on national issues and on issues on our European and regional agenda,” he said.

The pair also reviewed the prevailing situation in the turbulent geographical basin of the Eastern Mediterranean, “where Cyprus and Greece remain stable pillars of security and stability.”

“Our cooperation with other states in the region, starting with Egypt and Israel, has expanded and now extends to a very wide geographic spectrum,” the Greek Foreign Minister said about the geopolitics of the Eastern Mediterranean, adding that the 3+1 framework (Greece, Cyprus, Israel, and the United States) is a milestone of multilateralism.

Dendias also assured Kasoulides of Greece’s support for the reunification of the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation, calling it a “fair and sustainable solution.”

After this meeting between the two Foreign Ministers, Kasoulides also met with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the Greek President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou.

Mitsotakis congratulated Kasoulides on the assumption of his duties “after two previous, long and, by all accounts, successful terms.”

Kasoulides reprised his role as Cyprus’ foreign minister after Nikos Christodoulides resigned on January 11. Greece was his first official stop since taking office.

Source: Cyprus Mail.

French-built fighter jets roared over the Acropolis on Wednesday as Greece races to modernise its military and flaunts new security alliances aimed at keeping neighbouring Turkey in check.

Six advanced Rafale jets, purchased from the French air force, flew in low formation over Athens before their official handover to the Greek armed forces at Tanagra Air Base.

“These new warplanes make our air force one of the strongest in Europe and the Mediterranean, and seal the Greek-French defense agreement,” Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said at the ceremony.

Mitsotakis, who also announced tax breaks for members of the defence forces, police, coast guard and firefighters, said the Rafale deal was even contributing to Europe’s strategy for autonomy.

READ MORE: Greek parliament approves $3 billion purchase of French Rafale fighters.

The event was broadcast live on private and state-run television. Fire trucks greeted the aircraft with a water salute at the base, where the local Greek Orthodox bishop led a blessing ceremony. The message “Welcome home” was also beamed from the control tower.

The multirole combat aircraft with a distinctive triangle-shaped wing were the first major delivery to result from multi-billion euro defence deals the Greek and French governments sealed last year.

READ MORE: Greek armed forces mark delivery of the first of 18 French Rafale fighter jets.

Greece has earmarked nearly 2.5 billion euros ($2.8 billion) to buy 18 Rafale jets, 12 from the French air force and six newly built by Paris-based military contractor Dassault.

Greece also plans to acquire six more Rafale jets at a later date and to spend an additional 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) to buy three new French-made frigates.

READ MORE: Greece to boost military with 18 French Rafale jets in 2021.

The French-built jets were also welcomed by Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, who posted a photograph on Twitter of their flight over downtown Athens from his office balcony, where he was joined by his new Cypriot counterpart, Ioannis Kasoulides.

French Prime Minister, Emmanuel Macron, also sent a message of congratulations to Mitsotakis on Twitter writing: “Thank you, dear Kyriakos, for this confidence in France and its jewel in the aeronautics industry, in the defence of Europe that we are in the process of building.”

Source: AP News.

Greek MEP, Eva Kaili, was elected one of the European Parliament’s (EP) 14 vice-presidents on Tuesday.

Kaili, who was elected for the Movement for Change (KINAL) party and sits with the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats group, received 454 votes.

She came fifth out of nine candidates and was thus elected to the position in the first round.

Kaili’s productive and intensely active presence in the EP in previous years contributed to her election. Her widely supported legislative work and the initiatives she took with the establishment of the Artificial Intelligence Centre, but also her chairing of the Science and Technology Committee and the European Science and Media Centre, made her one of the most influential and popular MEPs.

Nikos Androulakis, leader of KINAL/PASOK, tweeted his congratulations to Kaili, saying it was the first time since 2014 that an elected member from their party held the position.

A third ballot will now be held to fill the last two vice-presidencies.

Dimitris Papadimoulis, a SYRIZA MEP who sits with the Left group, is one of five candidates for the last two positions.

Roberta Metsola, a Christian Democratic politician from Malta, was also elected president of the European Union’s parliament on Tuesday, taking over for a 2.5-year term following the death of Socialist David Sassoli last week.

Source: Ekathimerini.